Shopify store development cost: what you really pay in year one
A Shopify store has two kinds of cost: the one-off setup by a developer, then running costs at Shopify and for apps. Many quotes only show the first number. If you plan the store over one or two years, add both together. Only then can you compare Shopify with WooCommerce or other platforms fairly.
One-off cost: the setup
Setup cost depends mostly on the number of products, variants and custom requirements. These blocks should be listed separately in a quote:
- Theme: adapting an existing theme or a custom design.
- Product data: import, variants, images, filters and collections.
- Payments and shipping: payment methods, shipping zones, delivery times.
- Legal pages and consent required in your markets.
- Integrations: inventory, accounting, carriers, CRM, newsletter.
- SEO foundation: page titles, descriptions, structured data, Search Console.
Running cost: plan, fees, apps
Shopify charges a monthly plan; higher plans usually come with lower per-payment fees. On top come card processing fees and, if you use a third-party payment provider, an extra transaction fee. Current amounts are on Shopify's official pricing page; run the numbers against your expected revenue to see which plan is cheaper.
The item people forget is apps: reviews, product options, invoices, translations. Most are billed monthly. Five small subscriptions add up to a noticeable sum over a year. Before launch, check what the theme or Shopify already does natively.
A first-year calculation
Calculate it like this: setup + 12 × (Shopify plan + all app subscriptions) + payment fees on expected revenue + optional support. A store with 200 products and €10,000 monthly revenue has very different yearly costs from one with 20 products and €1,000, even if the setup cost was similar.
At Onravetoni an online store starts at €4,000, fixed price, including legal page integration, payment and shipping setup and an SEO foundation. We state the expected monthly plan and app costs up front, so you see the whole year.
Shopify or another platform?
Shopify fits when you want to launch quickly, maintain little technology yourself and use standard processes. With very custom workflows, complex B2B pricing or a requirement to keep all data on your own server, WooCommerce or another self-hosted platform can be better, with more maintenance on your side.
Decide by your processes, not the logo. Write down how an order moves from payment to shipping to invoice. That quickly shows which platform fits without workarounds.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does Shopify store development take?
- It depends mostly on how quickly product data and legal texts are ready. Plan for several weeks; we confirm the exact timeline after the brief.
- Do I own the store afterwards?
- Yes. The Shopify account, the domain and all content are in your name from day one.
- Can orders flow automatically into accounting and shipping?
- Yes, it is one of the most common requests. Our article on online store automation covers which workflows are worth it.
Sources
Tell us the number of products, payment methods and systems the store should connect to. You get a fixed price and an overview of running costs for the first year.
Request a store quote